The Reich Air Defense League Bavarian Regional Group Local Branch Membership Nurnber 61485 for Herrn
Karl Emil Bock Veitshochheim, Herrngasse 17
§
The Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) was founded 29 April 1933 and was accountable to the Reich Ministry for Air Travel and the Supreme Commander of the Luftwaffe. It was responsible for the training of volunteer “air defense watchers” (Luftschutzwarte) for residential blocks and individual apartment buildings.
The Air Defense Law of 26 May 1935 introduced a service requirement (Luftschutzpflicht) for all Germans. This included air raid alarms, blackouts, firefighting, first aid, or clearing rubble, as well as a requirement concerning material provisions (such as constructing air defense spaces or supplying equipment).
The reverse of Air Raid Warden Karl Emil Bock’s Reichsluftschutzbund membership card with endorsement stamps from 1933 through 1937.
§
When the war began, the Reichsluftschutzbund had over 13.5 million members, 820,000 officers, and 28,000 air defense teachers in 3,800 air defense schools, whose courses could be made obligatory for everyone, were instituted. Particular attention was given to workplace air defense (Werk-Luftschutz).
§
The Allied air war after 1942 demonstrated the narrow limits of air defense in a modern war. Many Reichsluftschutzbund members were killed in military service.